Flocking device



April 10, 1962 F. R. KoBEE FLOCKING DEVICE Filed Nov. 28, 1958 INVENTOR.

The present invention relates to a fiocking device and more particularly to apparatus for applying material such a-s metal fibers, glass fibers, plastic Covered fibers, metal covered fibers, powderl or finely divided material, or the like.

It has been proposed heretofore to provide such apparatus, but as a practical matter there have been several serious disadvantages with the types of apparatus used. In many commercial forms of flock appliers, for example, the fiock is not distributed evenly or uniformly, the fiock is applied too loosely, the fiock becomes Clogged in the device, the discharge Can not be properly regulated and they require Complicated mechanisms in the supply chamber to keep the fioc'k agitated.

One object of this invention is to provide a flocking device that provides a dense layer of fibers.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fiocking device that provides a uniform layer of fibers.

Another object of this invention is to provide a flocking device that utilizes air Currents to agitate the fibers in the supply Chamber.

Another object of this invention is to provide a fiocking device that uses air to deliver the fibers.

Another object of this invention is to provide a flocking device that can regulate the delivery of the fibers.

Another object of this invention is to provide a flocking device With a greater air inlet Velocity than air outlet Velocity.

With the foregoiug and other objects in view, reference is now made to the following specification and ac- Companying drawings in which the preferred embodiment thereof is illustrated.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a Vertical section of my novel flocking device.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view in vertical section taken through the air inlet and mixture outlet unit.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the air inlet and mixture outlet unit shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

Referring to the drawings by the characters of reference, the device includes a material container adapted to receive fibers or other finely divided material for discharge therefrom through the discharge orifice 11. The fibers then pass through the mixing Chamber 30 and are discharged through the discharge nozzle 12. The material container 10 is of any preferred construction of formation having a cover member 13 at the top thereof which is removable for the purpose of filling the supply container with fibers. The bottom of the material container 10 is provided with a funnel shaped member 14 which converges toward the discharge orifice 11. The funnel shaped member 14 terminates adjacent the air inlet member 1'5 which surrounds the discharge orifice 11.

A compressed air inlet line 16 extends from the source of compressed air supply (not shown) to the annular air Chamber 17. A shut olf valve 18 and a throttle valve or pressure control valve 19 are located in the inlet line 16. Air passageways 20 extend from the annular compressed air Chamber 17 to the supply Chamber 21. The air passageways 20 Converge upward vertically and at the same time they slant with the Vertical as shown in FIG. 4. The air passageways 20 surround the discharge orifice 1'1 and terminate very close thereto.

An agitator member 22 is located partially in the discharge orifice 11 and partially in the supply Chamber 21 atent and is secured to a motor shaft 23 that is powered by the motor 24.

A filtered air Chamber 25 is located in the upper portion of the supply Chamber 21 adjacent the cover memi ber 13 and is provided by the filter member 26 and the plate member 27. A filtered air discharge passageway 28 Communicates'the filtered air Chamber 25 with the atmosphere. A relief valve 29 is located in the discharge passageway 28. i

When my novel fiocking device is put in operation the fibers are placed in the supply Chamber 21. The cover member 13 is removable for this purpose. The shut ofi valve 21 is then opened to allow compressed air to fiow from the air passageway 16 into the annular compressed air Chamber 17. The air then flows through the air passageways 20 at a high Velocity. The flow of air from the air passageways 20 provides a spiral turbulent effect which mixes the fibers and the air. The air Carrying fibers with it then passes through the outlet orifice 11 into the mixing Chamber 30 and is exhausted through the discharge nozzle 12. The unit is held in such a position that the discharge nozzle 12 directs the fiow of air and fibers onto the surface to be Coated. The Velocity of the fibers as they are discharged from the discharge nozzle 12 causes the fibers to deposit in a dense'layer. The Velocity of the air flowing from the air passageways 20 prevents fibers from settling or collecting around the discharge orifice 11.

The discharge of air and fibers from the supply Chamber 21 Can be regulated by regulating the flow of air entering the supply Chamber by means of the throttle or pressure Control valve 19.

If more incoming air is needed to provide greater turbulence to properly mix the air and fibers the relief valve 29 is opened thereby allowing more air to enter through the inlet passageways 20 without increasing the fiow of air from the discharge orifice 11.` The filter member 26 removes the fibers from the air that is bled from the supply Chamber 21 through the relief valve 29.

When fibers are used that tend to cling together or form bunches the agitator 22 is used to break up the clinging or bunched fibers. The air and fibers are then further mixed in the mixing Chamber 30. The motor 22 may be operated by electricity or compressed air. The agitator is located partially in the supply Chamber 21 and partially in the mixing Chamber 30. The Shape of the agitator member 22 may be varied depending on the type of mfiterial to be discharged. In some Cases the agitator i i member 22 may be so shaped that it helps feed the fiberous material into the mixing Chamber 30. The motion provided the agitator member 22 may also be varied dependiug on the type of material that is to be discharged.

The preferred operation and the preferred apparatus have been illustrated and desciibed, but Changes and modifications therein can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

What I Claim is:

1. In an apparatus for applying material such as flock or powder, the combination of a material container provided with a downwardly converging funnel shaped lower portion, a discharge passageway extending from the bottom of said material container to a discharge nozzle, a

horizontal annular wall extending between said discharge passageway and said funnnel shaped portion, an air supply vpassageway termnating in an annular air Chamber suri rounding said discharge passageway and a circular rowl of air inlet passageways extending from said air Chamber to the upper'surface of said annular wall, said air inlet passageways slanting inwardly and upwardly in two planes with respect to the Vertical axis of said funnel shaped portion.

2. An apparatus for dispensing fiberous or granular,

Patented Apr. 10, .1952 i material, comprisng a material container provided with a downwardly converging lower wall portion, a discharge passageway extending from the bottom of said material container to a discharge nozzle and a plurality of air inlet passageways communicating the lower part of said material container with a source of air supply, said plurality of air inlet passageways arranged around said discharge passageway, each of said plurality of air inlet passageways slanting inwardly and upwardly in two planes with respect to the Vertical axis of the discharge passageway, whereby an upwardly converging whirling motion is imparted to the air entering said material container.

3. An apparatus for dispensing fiberous and granular material, comprising a material container provided with a downwardly converging frusto-conical shaped lower portion, a discharge passageway extending from the central portion of the lower base of said frust-conical shaped portion to a discharge nozzle, an annular air chamber surrounding said discharge passageway and communicating with a source of air supply and a plurality of air inlet air passageways arranged around said discharge passageway and communicating said annular air Chamber with said material chamber adjacent said discharge passageway, said air inlet passageways slanting inwardly and upwardly in two planes with respect to the Vertical axis of said frusto-conical shaped portion.

4. An apparatus for dispensing fiberous and grauular material, comprising a material container provided with a downwardly converging frusto-conical shaped portion, a discharge passageway extending from the central porton of the lower base of said frusto-conical shaped portion to a discharge nozzle, an air supply passageway terminating in an annular air chamber surrounding said discharge passageway and a plurality of air inlet passageways communicating said annular air chamber with said material container adjacent the periphery of said discharge passageway, said plurality of air inlet passageways arranged around said discharge passageway, said air inlet passageways slanting inwardly and upwardly in two planes with respect to the vertical aXis of said frusto-conical shaped portion whereby a cone shaped layer of whirling air is provided above said discharge passageway.

5. An apparatus for dispensing fiberous and granular material, comprising a material container, the lower portion of said material container comprisng a downwardly converging frusto-conical shaped portion, a discharge passageway extending from the central portion of the lower base of said frusto-conical shaped portion, an air supply passageway and a plurality of air inlet passageways communicating said air supply passageway with said material container adjacent the periphery of said diseharge passageway and arranged around said discharge passageway, each of said air inlet passageways slanting inwardly and upwardly in two planes with respect to the Vertical axis of said frusto-conical shaped portion whereby an upwardly converging layer of whirling air picks up material from the lower portion of said material container adjacent said air inlet passageways and transmits said material while suspended in air to said discharge passageway.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,276,653 Herbert et al. Aug. 20, 1918 2,569,085 Wood et al. Sept. 25, 1951 2,648,466 Baur et al. Aug. 11, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS C.D.62l,796,655 Netherlands Ian. 15, 1958 798,784 Great Britain July 30, 1958 

